


The Straightforward Approach

by Lionheart39



Category: Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-22
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2020-03-09 17:46:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18921970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lionheart39/pseuds/Lionheart39
Summary: There is an Alien Battle Fleet wanting to renew a peace treaty, the problem is Geneva knows nothing about it!





	The Straightforward Approach

Kate Stewart sighed deeply as her phone rang. She had been just about to leave for her Dads 75th Birthday party. The boys were already there, as usual in the holidays the children encamped down to the country where Dad and Doris spoilt them rotten. Kate smiled at the photo of the four of them in front of the large house. Her stepmother was the most remarkable woman. How often she wished Doris had been her Mum, a wonderful, caring woman who loved her Dad and his family so unconditionally. She knew Dad would understand her no show and Doris would accept it because Dad did. Her own mother would have made the most terrible fuss. Well the past was best forgotten as her Dad pointed out. But all those years without him in her life really hurt Kate.

Sighing deeply she answered the phone. “Kate Stewart” she snapped. “Oh yes Mr Sectary, a battle fleet. No Sir, no idea never heard of them Sir. A thirty year peace treaty and they are here to renegotiate the deal. Ok Sir, but surely that is more Geneva’s remit then ours.”  


Kate listened “So you have the treaty and it appears to be signed by A. G. Lethbridge-Stewart and witnessed by Dr J Smith. Hmmmm..And you say there's no report to go with it just a note to refer to records Zen Brigade HQ , Aylesbury. Yes, I agree that is unusual, The Brigadier was always meticulous with his reports.”  


Kate listen to the sharp reply from the Secretary General.  


“Yes, I do know it's General Lethbridge-Stewart, but everyone here calls him THE Brigadier, it may be because it took UNIT so long to recognise that he was deserving of the promotion!!” 

Kate relished the embarrassed silence on the other end of the phone.  


“I've just received the copy of the treaty you have sent,.. and yes I concur that does seem to be THE Brigadier’s signature. Yes, it does seem a bit shaky, but perhaps he wasn't well at the time. Yes, we do have all the old Zen Brigade files in the Archive I will look this out straight away.”  


As the call ended Kate called down to Archive and requested the Zen Brigade files for the week when the treaty had been signed. 

There was just one file. It seemed to have taken her father over a week to try and complete it. The problem was it made very little sense. There also were a lot of coffee cup rings and sheets that had had coffee spilled on them. The last comment was, ‘If you need to know, just ask!’ Either Dad had been very drunk for over a week or he was seriously concussed. She thought the latter, as although he liked a drink, being drunk on duty was certainly not her father’s style.

She picked up the phone and called her father’s mobile. “Tiger, are you on your way.” he asked.

“Sorry Dad something has come up."

She could almost see the smile drop off his face.

“Nothing dangerous I hope?” her father asked with a worried note in his voice.

She loved him for that, no recrimination for missing his big event, just worrying about her. 

“Not sure Dad, we have a Zibbill battle fleet here to renew a treaty. Trouble is the records are a bit sketchy. Well let’s say what there is of them do not make much sense. The only thing I can make out is ‘To ask you if I need to know!’

“AHHH, right the Zibbill...mmmm. Well no problem there, they are a reasonable bunch, renew on the same terms, pretty straight forward. Just go in mob handed, tell them what you are going to give them, take it or leave it. Take about 20 gallon of good whisky with you as a sweetener. Oh and Tiger if they offer refreshments, stick to the whiskey, that stuff of theirs is rocket fuel.”

“You mean it tastes like rocket fuel?” she asked.

“No love, we synthesized the rocket fuel for Valiant from the stuff they gave me!”

Kate blinked, “Did you actually drink any of it?”

“Yes love, worst week of my life, good job Sullivan and the Doctor pumped my stomach, it took four days before I could walk in a straight line.”

An hour later Kate and a Squad of UNIT troops skidded into the drive of the wonderful old manor house that The Brigadier and Doris called home.

Her Dad smiled at seeing her so soon. He greeted his daughter enthusiastically, “Kate, I want you to meet a very old and dear friend....”

Kate cut him off even before she could wonder about the young man being an old and dear friend.

“Dad about what we discussed on the phone!” she said raising an eyebrow in what the young man standing next to her father considered to be a very good likeness of the Brigadier’s own eyebrow raising technique.

“Hmmm, Yes, love did you get it sorted?”

“Well no. It seems they will only deal with Earth’s Ruler, who they are convinced is YOU! To say that the General Secretary and the security council are unhappy about this is probably an understatement!”

The Brigadier looked at the young man stood beside him, “I told you not to tell them I was the Ruler of Earth, didn't I! But Oh No, you knew best!”

The young man next to him shuffled his feet. “Well it seemed a good idea at the time!”

Kate looked from her father to the young man. “So you must be John Smith, The Doctor!"

Alistair nodded as he looked at the man fondly! 

The Doctor nodded “The one and only!” he said smugly! 

“Yep arrogant like you said Dad!” Kate murmured

“Alistair! You called me arrogant, I'm hurt! I thought you and I were mates, best buddies and you described me as arrogant!”

“He did say you were brilliant as well!” Kate said. 

“Oh well, that's ok then!” he said slapping the Brigadier on the back and hugging Kate.

“Hey hands off my Daughter, I know all about you and young women!”

The Doctor smiled, held up his hands in surrender and backed away from Kate.

“Well the upshot is the Security Council say you have their permission to negotiate on Earth's behalf!” she informed him.

“Like to see anyone else try and get a deal!” the Doctor muttered. “They were seconds from vaporizing the Earth last time! If Alistair hadn't used his unique negotiation skills.” He told Kate.

“I'd spent hours trying to get them to see sense.” The Doctor said. “I was going to offer them access to mineral resources and possibly even a power sharing deal! But no need, your Dad had them tapped as the military minded kind of life form, same values as himself!” 

Kate looked at her Dad, who was starting to look a little embarrassed. “So how did you get them to see sense?"

“I stuck my revolver to their leaders head and asked him if he wanted to see if he could press the destruct button before I blew his slime covered brain out!” Alistair muttered!  


“He really appreciated that and we had a deal done and dusted in seconds!” her father told her.  


“Said he was only going to vaporize the Earth because all that babble from the Doctor had given him a head ache.” The Doctor looked up then back at Kate another hurt expression on his face.

With the help of the Doctor and his TARDIS, it had taken all of 5 minutes for Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart a.k.a. ‘ The Ruler of Earth’ to deliver the 20 gallons of whiskey and leave with another 30 year deal.” 

As they got back to the party Kate wondered if maybe her father had missed his calling, maybe he should have been a politician. After all maybe that was the trouble with politics it gave too many people head aches, and the straightforward approach was best!


End file.
